Packing of lettuce and package



Sept. 14, 1948. A. B. HASLACHER v PACKING OF LETTUCE AND PACKAGE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 2, 1946 A. B. HASLACHER PACKING 0F LETTUCEAND PABCKAGE Sept." 14, 1948.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 2, 1946 llllllllllliililil:

INVENTOR /7///'"ec/15 fias/ac/wr Patented Sept. 14, 1948 UNITED" r2,449,164 raoxme or LE'rrUcE AND PACKAGE Alfred l3. Haslacher, SanFrancisco, Calif.

ihppli at q A i .6,, S ieL Q- 559 5 Claims. (01. 99 171) 1 Thisinvention relates to the packing of head lettuce for shipment.

The major lettuce producing areas in the United States are the $alinaswatsohyille district and the Imperial Valley in California, and the areaadjacent to Phoenix, Arizona, Depending upon the season of the year, thelettuce is shipped from one, or more of these areas to the Midwesternand Eastern part of the United States for sale and distribution toconsumers.

The usuallettuce pack is made up of three layers of lettuce in a cratepreviously lined with waxed paper or parchment paper. A layer of finelydivided ice is placed upon the butts of the lettuce in each layer sothat the, crate finally contains three layers of lettuce and threelayers of ice a l-ranged alternately in the crate. If desired, one. ormore separator sheets can be, placed between the lettuce butts. in oneor more of the layers and the adjacent layer of crushed ice, the

sheets, serving to take up some of the juice which oozes, out, from thecut stem of the lettuce; the separator sheet also serves to cushion thelettuce against injury when the, lid isv nailed in place by the liddinand nailing. machine which compresses theylettuce in the crate under a,relativ l he vy-pressu e. Various arrangements of the lettuce, ice andseparator sheets have been utilized and one can refer tothe, GallagherPatent No. 1,328,179, the several patents to Grande No. ,911,361,theDodge Pate t N 2,.124A12Land the Phillips, Pat n N 2,336,291,.

The transit time required for transshipment of the lettuce from theproducing 01, field area to the eastern market is relatively lengthy,being generally in excess of twice the time required for passenger railmovement between any two points; for example, the transshipment timebetween Salinas and Chicago, is generally between six and eightdays,.whil e the passenger rail travel time does not exceed three orfour days. In addition to the ice carried in each crate, the final packof lettuceis additionally refrigerated in. a refrigerator car by a layerof finely divided ice distrlbuted over the uppermost tier of crates, asis efiect, continuous i'rnmersic m .ice waterior a periodof atleast sixdays. The neteffect o this continuous immersion is to cause those,areasci the lettuce which have been bruised, windburned, bitten byfrost, or attacked by, insects either to darken or turn to slime. Inaddition, the continuous immersion has a deleterous efiecton theappearance of the external leaves on each head of lettucathe ribsfrequently cracking; before the lettuce is marketed, it is customaryforthe distributor or merchant to strip each head to .a considerableextent. Thisinvolves an added labor cost .as well as anecqnomic loss tothe ultimate consumer for the weight of usable lettuce finally sold isnecessarily reduced,

I have discovered that while the lettuce should be refrigerated curing.its, shipmeht to market, the lettuce should be handled under suchconditions that it is, shielded from the melting ice while refrigerationissupplied to the lettuce in each crate. In addition, I have discoveredthat air circulation within each crate should .be provided so that the feld heat of the lettuce can be removed quickly While thelettuce is inshipment and so that any heat of, respiration, particularly from theheads in the center of, the pack, can be read;- ily removed. ThisIachieve by packing, the lettuce in asuitable crate provided withawate'rproof and moisture-vapor proof liner so arranged in the cratethat adequate cold air circulation can take place within the cratethroughout the lettuce in the crate. Since each crate is packed dry andfree from ice, the ice bruising present in the usual packs is absentwhile thespace otherwise taken up with the ice load is available for thelettuce. As a consequence, instead ofv each crate, when packed, having abulge, as appears in Figure 5 in the Dodge Patent No. 2,124,412, the topof the crate is flat and flush with. the sides of the crate so that the'lidding machine is merely required to nail the top in place and doesnot exert any pressure. upon thelettuce in the crater By packing lettucein this manner, I have been able to reduce or obviate the development ofslime and the otherobjectionable evidences of deterioration of thelettuce which otherwise appear, the lettuce arriving at its destinationin amaterially improved condition and more nearly that ,in which it leftthe shipping point.

It is in general the broad object of the present invention to provide anovel lettuce pack.

A further object of this. invention is toprovide a lettuce pack inwhichthe lettuce is packed dryand adequate;v air circulation throughout thelet'- W n a ra e s e sur d r An additional object of the presentinvention is to provide a novel arrangement of a lettuce crate and ofair circulation means within the crate.

Referring to the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof,

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing lettuce in the course of packingin accordance with this invention.-

Figure 2- is a perspective view of the corner of the liner utilizedshowing the arrangement of this.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an end for a crate end.

Figure 4 is a top view with a separator sheet in lace.

D Figure 5 is a view taken along the line 5-5 in Figure 4 showing thearrangement of several lettuce tiers in the crate.

Figures 6 and '7 are each perspective views showing the arrangement oftwo forms of the separator which is made up of several individualelements.

Referring to Figure 1, I have designated by numeral II a lettuce crategenerally conforming liner in size and shape to that now in use in theindustry. However, the crate utilized in the present invention differsfrom the crate usually employed inthat end sections I2 are reversed;each lettuce crate ordinarily includes two end sections l2 securedtogether by several slats l3 extending along each side of the crate andby suitable slats l4 extending along the bottom of the crate. Each endsection includes atop cleat l6 and a bottom cleat .|1 secured togetherby vertically extending slats I B and vertical end posts IS. The endsections are usually first assembled and thereafter are joined by theside and bottom slats, the end sections |2 being positioned with cleatsl6 and I! extending horizontally and along the outside of the crate.

In accordance with this invention, both end sec- .tions are preferably,reversed and are then joined by the side and bottom slats so that cleatsl6 and 11 are inside the crate and, with end posts i9, form an interiorframe at each end of the crate and inside the crate. Only one reversedend can be used but I prefer to reverse both of them.

I In accordance with this invention, I mount in the frame provided byeach end section l2 an air circulation member 2| having severalvertically extending flutes 22 therein so that air can circulate abouteach end of the crate. The end member shown in Figure 3 in perspectiveis that mounted at the left-hand or front end of the'c'rate whichappears in perspective in Figure 1L This member is made of a suitablycut and creased board such as a waxed chipboard or other heavy, waterproof and moisture-vapor proof board which will retain its shape andsize even if wet.

To assist in handling of each cratefthose slats l3 which are providedadjacent the center of the crate are relieved at one end as at 23 sothat a hand can be inserted to grasp the under side of member IS, theadjacent portion of flute 22 being cut as at 24 so that the hand can beadmitted upon bending back the cooperatively positioned portion of theadjacent flute 22. Portions 26 intermediate each of the flutes 22 and ateach end of the member 2| extend beyond the fiutes to engage cleats l3and I1 and posts l9 to assist in retaining the circulation memberimposition. To permit the air circulation member 2| to beinserted'readily even though the end sections l2 may vary slightly insize; the member 2| is proheads.

the sheet being preferably bent over as is indicated at 28 to ensure atight junction between the sheet andeach of thecirculation members. Ateach corner, the liner 2'! is preferably folded along a fold line 29 sothat a smooth, vaportight corner is provided.

With the end members in position and the crate lined, the first orbottom-most tier of lettuce is placed in the crate, with the butt orstem end of each head of lettuce positioned upwardly. Depending upon thesize of the lettuce heads packed, the number of heads positioned in agiven layer will vary. In the form illustrated in the draw-- ing, I haveshown each layer as includingZO When the first layer is positioned, aseparator sheet structure generally indicatedby numeral 3| is placed inthe crate. In the form ofseparator sheet shown in Figure 6, threesections 32, 33 and 34 of so-called double corrugated board areutilized. 1

Elements 32 and 34 are each of an area approxi mating generally thetransverse sectional area of the crate and are each apertured as at 40.Elements. 32 and 34 each includes a continuous sheet of corrugated boardhaving a first facing sheet 35 and a second facing sheet 36 betweenwhich is positioned a corrugated member 37, the three being securedtogether by a suitable adhesive. Members 34 and 36 are separated by aplurality of strip members, previously indicated by numeral 33, made upof strips of the so-called doubleboard and suitably joined to elements32 and 34. However, referring particularly to Figures 5 and 6, it is tobe notedthat the corrugation in members 32 and 34 run in the samedirection, along the length of the crate, while the corrugation in memhers 33 run in theopposite direction or transversely of the crate. Thusthe air can circulate readily through the crate from one end thereof tothe other through the corrugations provided in members 32 and 34, orthrough the space between these members and through apertures 4|), whileit can circulate transversely through the corrugations provided inmember 33. In any case the separators should be so arranged and providedas to permit of air circulation in the crate; various forms andarrangements of the corrugated members can be employed for this. Also,the size, shape and number of apertures 40 can also be varied. g

, The separator sheet shown in Figure 7 is like that in Figure 6 exceptthat element 32 has been omitted. In each form, strips 33 are positionedto overlie the lettuce butts. In each form, the sheets are coated with awater-proofing material so they are not absorbent.

When the separator structure 3| has been posia tioned, the second tierof lettuce is arranged as appears in Figures 1 and 5. When this iscompleted, the secondseparator structure 3! is positioned over the buttsof the second tier of lettuce. The final tier of lettuce is then placedin position and the extended ends of the liner Z'I'are brought back intoposition over the butts'of the upper-most layer, The lid 4| isthenplac'ed in position, the final crate of lettuce being free. of anyice, the lid being fiat and free ,of the usual bulge. The lettuce crateis then placedin 'a refrigerated car or truck which is preferably pre-'sion rate.

cooled. The pack may or may not be top-iced in the car as desired; if itis, the ice meltage does not drown the lettuce for it is kept out ofcontact with the lettuce.

In place of lettuce, carrots, spinach, cauliflower and other vegetablesas well as fruits can be packed as I have indicated.

As a liner for the crate one can use any flexible sheet material whichdoes not disintegrate when wet nor lose its strength. Preferably. thematerial should have a low moisture vapor transmis- I have successfullyused parchment paper, wax paper and other coated papers.

I claim:

1. A lettuce package consisting of a wooden crate having opposite endsections, each of said sections including spaced end posts and a top anda bottom cleat forming a frame inside said crate, an air circulationmember mounted in each of said frames and having vertical flutestherein, three tiers of lettuce heads positioned in said crate with thebutts upward, a laminated waterproof separator sheet having at least onecorrugated inner layer and positioned on top of the butts in each of thefirst two tiers of lettuce, a waterproof liner in said crate betweensaid ends surrounding the three tiers of lettuce except at the ends ofthe crate, and a lid for said crate.

2. A lettuce package consisting of a wooden crate having opposite endsections, each of said sections including spaced end posts and a top anda bottom cleat forming a frame inside said crate, an air circulationmember mounted in each of said frames and having vertical flutestherein, three tiers of lettuce heads positioned in said crate with thebutts upward, a separator sheet positioned on top of the butts in eachof the first two tiers of lettuce, each separator sheet including asheet of corrugated board carrying a plurality of corrugated stripsthereon positioned in abutment with the butts in the subjacent lettucetiers, a waterproof liner in said crate between said ends surroundingthe three tiers of lettuce except at ends of the crate, and a lid forsaid crate.

3. A lettuce package consisting of a wooden crate having opposite endsections, each of said sections including spaced end posts and a top anda bottom cleat forming a frame inside said 5 crate, an air circulationmember mounted in each of said frames and having vertical flutestherein,

three tiers of lettuce heads positioned in said crate with the buttsupward, a separator sheet positioned on top of the butts in each of thefirst two tiers of lettuce, each separator sheet including a pair ofcorrugated boards carrying several corrugated strip members therebetweenas spacers and located over the butts in the subjacent lettuce tiers, awaterproof liner in said crate between said ends surrounding the threetiers of lettuce except at ends of the crate, and a lid for said crate.

4. A lettuce package consisting of a wooden crate having opposite endsections, at least one of said sections including spaced end posts and atop and a bottom cleat forming a frame inside said crate, an aircirculation member mounted in said frame and having vertical flutestherein, three tiers of lettuce heads positioned in said crate with thebutts upward, a laminated waterproof separator sheet having at least onecorrugated inner layer and positioned on top of the butts in each of thefirst two tiers of lettuce, a waterproof liner in said crate betweensaid ends surrounding the three tiers of lettuce except at ends of thecrate, and a lid for said crate.

5. A lettuce package consisting of a wooden crate having opposite endsections, at least one of said sections including spaced end posts and atop and bottom cleat forming a frame inside said crate, an aircirculation member mounted in said frame and having vertical flutestherein, at least two tiers of lettuce heads positioned in said cratewith the butts upward, a laminated separator sheet having at least onecorrugated inner layer and positioned on top of the butts in thesubjacent lettuce tier, a water-proof liner in said crate between saidends surrounding the tiers of lettuce except at the ends of the crate.and a lid for said crate.

ALFRED B. HASLACHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,018,812 Dujardin Feb. 2'7, 19122,164,025 Schwertfeger June 2'7, 1989 2,203,033 Spiegl June 4, 19402,336,291 Phillips Dec. 7, 1943

